Tag Archives: techniques

I’m obsessed …

Posted on October 13, 2009 by crazydaisy

collagewith Claudine Hellmuth and her collage book, “Collage Discovery Workshop – Beyond the Unexpected: New Techniques Using Color, Personal Imagery and Creative Surfaces.” Seriously, I’ve been carrying the book around in my purse. I read it whenever I get a chance and when I’m not reading the book I’m thinking about it. I’ve dreamt about the book and all the things I can do with the ideas Claudine shares. I’ve come up with a bunch of different collages I want to create and I can’t wait to get to work. For the most part, I own everything I need to try out all the different techniques Claudine teaches in her book, but yesterday I picked up a few last supplies and I’m ready to go.


Today I’m going to create my first project, it is inspired by the Beatles, since there has been a lot of Beatles Rock Band playing going on in my house! I was listening to the lyrics of one particular song last night and I was stuck by how much the words mean to me right now. It heard exactly what I needed to hear … which is interesting ’cause I’ve heard this song about a million times and have never been so moved, inspired or buoyed by it. Don’t you love how things speak to you in different ways, at different times in your life?


I can’t wait to show you what I create. After this particuly collage, I have another one planned (also inpsired by a Beatles song), and I’m going to be using items from the current Crazy Daisy Kit to make it! There are so many cool ways you can use your kit … it doesn’t just have to be on a scrapbook page.

Are you doing anything cool today? What’s inspiring you? Do you any fall projects planned? Do tell, we want to hear and share!


Posted in Scrapbook Tips, Scrapbooking Inspiration, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment


Get your Gesso on

Posted on October 8, 2009 by crazydaisy

The Crazy Daisy Family is blessed to include some extremely talented ladies serving on our design team. One of them, Miss Kim, is sharing her amazing talents with us today with this awesome Gesso Paint Rag tutorial. (Thank you Kim! We always love it when you’re our guest blogger!) So, let’s get our Gesso on ladies!

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“This technique is something I learned on National Scrapbook Day over at the Scrap in Style forum from the brilliant Lucy Folch, awesome Brazilian artist who has such innovative ideas.  I have modified mine a little but I must credit Lucy with the basic gesso – paint – rag technique.

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I used the Making Memories kraft album included in the September kit, but you can also do this on a heavy chipboard or cardboard. 

The key to this technique is pre-planning the layout.

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Gather some chipboard pieces and any other items that you want to include on the layout and place them where you want them. 

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I used the cute paisley pieces along with some other pieces from my stash. Since this is going to be an album for my stepdaughter’s end of season horse shows for this year, (photo above) I wanted to use the horse piece I had from Martha Stewart, but I peeled off the slick pattern from the top so my gesso will adhere.  I put the horse on the back of the album.

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Next, since I want to add some pieces of patterned paper to my finished project, I need to measure and cut those out before adhering my chipboard.  I also made a quick sketch of my layout and numbered my pieces to correspond with my cutout paper for easy placement later. 

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Once I have my layout how I want it, I start gluing down all my chipboard pieces.  I did not glue the word “ALEX” down yet because I want to use those awesome 7Gypsies letters as they are. 

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After the glue is dried completely, cover the entire project in gesso.  Get it in every crevice and corner of the chipboard pieces.  I use a smaller dry brush to get any excess out of those same crevices and corners.

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Now let the gesso dry completely while picking out four or five colors of acrylic paint to coordinate with the paper and other pieces. 

This is the really fun and messy part of the project – let your creativity run wild!

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You will need to use a thin consistency with the paint, you may want to experiment on a scrap piece of chipboard or cardboard first.  I began on one side and worked with a color then switched to my next color and so on to blend each color together.  Just keep working with the paint until satisfied.  Don’t worry, it won’t be perfect!

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Next take an old rag while the paint is still wet and wipe and dab the project to remove some of the paint.  If you remove more than you want, just add more paint.  If the paint gets too dry, wet your rag – this method is mistake proof!

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When you are happy with how it looks, let this part of the project dry.  You might want to add some glimmer mist or another mist of choice to jazz it up. 

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Once dry, you can add on everything else.  I distressed my pattern paper and glued it down.  I also distressed my chipboard letters with a small emery board and some paint and glued those down.

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As an afterthought I decided to use the Stickles that were included in my kit, and I love how they look on this project! 

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Once that dried, I got my Sharpie out and outlined, added a photo in middle and used some Ranger Glossy Accent that I had in my stash on the word “ALEX” so it would have some shine to match where I used the Stickles. 

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The album is now finished and ready for my pages to be done inside!


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Get your ink on

Posted on August 14, 2009 by crazydaisy

Have you been holding off on using ink with your scrapbooking because you just don’t know where to start? Like what inks are good. Which aren’t so good. Which company has the best colors … well wait no more.  In this guest post by Crazy Daisy design team member Trace Geworsky you learn all you need to know about the inks out there.


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“I don’t know about you, but I have often gone into a scrap shop in search of an ink pad only to leave feeling slightly overwhelmed. I find ink pads to be pricey, and unless you stamp regularly or have researched them, how do you know that the one you pick will be right for what you want to use it for?

I try to include a lot of stamping on my layouts and other projects (okay…I confess….I have a HUGE obsession with stamps!!!) so I thought I would share some of my notes with you, of my thoughts on certain ink pads…what they work on, if they are easy to clean, etc.

Some of you may disagree with some of my findings, but unless you try them out, you never know, right?


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1. Tsukineko Staz on

Pros:
This has got to be one of the most popular brand of ink pads out there.
Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with these ink pads:)
It is a solvent based ink pad
It will stamp on ANYTHING (at least I haven’t found anything that I cant get it to work on) I have tried it on acrylic, glass, metal, paper, candles, leather, suede, aluminum foil, and wood.
It has a mild sweet smelling smell(not over powering)
It comes in many, many colors

The downside:
It will also stain everything…I have ruined many articles of clothes with this ink, and it will stain your hands and stamps.
I have used the Staz On all purpose cleaner, and while it will clean your stamps, it will still stain them.
Pricey

2. Stampin Up

Pros:

This would probably be the next popular ink pad
It is a water based dye ink
It will not stain anything
Super easy to clean….I just run my stamp and acrylic stamp block under running water, and the ink just washes away immediately.
Affordable
If you press the lid into the pad, it will form a puddle of ink, and if you dip a paintbrush into it, you can use it to achieve a water color look on paper.
Dries quickly

Downside:
Works best on paper
I have found it to be very light when stamping it on acrylic, etc..and it won’t dry but just smear at first touch

3) Ranger Adirondack

Pros:

It is a raised felt dye ink pad
The last time I checked it came in 48 different colors, so an excellent selection
Easy to clean. I just use a diaper wipe and it gets the stamp completely clean
Dries fairly fast

Downside:
It works best on paper…it will stamp on metal or acrylic but it shows up so faint, that you wont notice it very much.
depending where you buy it, they can be pricey.

4) Tim Holtz distress ink

Pros:
It is a water based dye ink
Comes in many different colors, and some amazingly vibrant colours
Nice for a vintage, stained or aged look
Usually reasonably priced
Cleans very easily … Just hold the stamp under running water, and the ink should run right off the stamp.

Downside:
Really only works on paper
I have used it on metal & acrylic, and it wouldnt dry, it only smeared

5) Doodlebug Design Inc

Pros:

I find the KI Memories ink pads to be identical to these in every way
It is a pigment ink pad
Easy to clean … I use a diaper wipe or running water … no need to really scrub it off
It wont stain anything
Cheap
I let my 5 year old work with these ink pads, because I know he can’t ruin any clothes or furniture by using this brand

Downside:
It wont work on anything but paper

6) Tsukinenko Versamagic

Pros:

It is a chalk ink pad
It will stamp on pretty much anything
Looks great on dark paper

Downside:
Can be pricey (depending on where you buy it)
Takes a while to dry
They advertise that it doesn’t have a chalky residue, but I disagree with this
Wash carefully with a diaper wipe … I find that it will stick in the stamp, so it can take awhile to clean

 

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A layout using inks

A layout using inks

There are other stamp pads out there, but these are the ones I have experience with, or tend to buy. If someone were to ask me which ink pad is my ultimate favourite when it comes to working on paper, the answer is easy … A tie between Stampin up & Tim Holtz distress ink. They both have great colours and are clean and easy to work with.

Hope this helps! I look forward to seeing what you all create using stamps and ink.”

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